Chicago Blackhawks winger Marian Hossa lies on the ice after being hit in the back of the head by Vancouver Canucks winger Jannik Hansen. / Charles Rex Arbogast AP

by Mike Brehm, USA TODAY Sports

by Mike Brehm, USA TODAY Sports

Vancouver Canucks winger Jannik Hansen was suspended one game for his hit that knocked Chicago's Marian Hossa out of the game.

Hansen hit the back of the Blackhawks star's head "recklessly and forcefully" the league said, with his forearm at 1:10 of the third period as a loose puck was in the air near both of them. He received a roughing penalty.

Hansen had told the Chicago Tribune that he thought the hit was a hockey play.

"We were both kind of jumping for (the puck)," Hansen said. "He grabs the puck first and as I'm coming down I kind of land on him a little bit. Apparently, I hit him in the back of the head is what the ref was telling me once I come down. It's hard for me to tell what really happened."

NHL disciplinarian Brendan Shanahan looked at the hit as more than that.

"What it might be true that Hansen initially reaches up to play the puck in the air, he changes the position of his arm and delivers a sharp, careless forearm to the back of Hossa's head," Shanahan said in his explanatory video.

"Although it's true that both players initially have their hands open as the puck approaches, Hossa maintains an open palm throughout. Hansen, on the other hand, has closed his hand and has a closed fist. He also does not extend his arm until after Hossa makes contact with the puck."

The suspension will cost Hansen, a first-time offender, $7,297.30 in lost pay.

The Blackhawks had Wednesday off and no update on Hossa was forthcoming.

Hossa suffered a concussion last spring when Phoenix Coyotes forward Raffi Torres leveled him with a late, high hit that resulted in the winger being taken off the ice on a stretcher and repeat offender Torres receiving a 21-game suspension. The Hansen hit occurred in nearly the same spot on the ice, but this time, Hossa was able to get up and leave the ice with some assistance.